Apparatus for grinding bottles and their caps.



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N0. 7|2,679. Patented Nov. 4. I902.

E. G. HOWE.

APPARATUS FOR GRINDING BOTTLES AND THEIR CAPS.

AppIicMion filerl Mm. 25, 1901.) (No Model.)

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ATENT Trice.

ELBRIDGE G. HOYVE, OF MILLBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR GRENDING BOTTLES AND THEIR CAPS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,679, dated November4;, 1902.

Application filed March 25,1901, Serial No. 52.666. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELBRIDGE G. HOWE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Millbury, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatusfor Grinding Bottles and Their Caps, of which the following is aspecification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, inwhich 1 Figure 1 represents a front view, partly in section, of myimproved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top View of a cap. Fig. 3 is a top viewof the seat upon which the cap is held during the process of grinding,and Fig. 4 is a top View of the revolving disk by which the cap isrotated.

Similar reference-letters refer to similar parts in the different views.

My present apparatus is designed to grind a plain surface on the mouthsof bottles and a similar plain surface on the contacting rim or underside of a glass cap adapted to close the mouth of the bottle, saidground surfaces enabling an air-tight contact to be maintained so thatthe contents of the bottle may be preservedin a vacuum by pumping theair therefrom before closing; and my invention consists in anapparatus,as hereinafter described, whereby the contacting surfaces ofthe bottle and cap are simultaneously ground by the attrition of anysuitable grinding material placed between them-such, for example, asflour of emery. My improved grinding apparatus by which this result isaccomplished is provided with means for holding the cap in a rocking androtating seat and supporting the bottle in an inverted position abovesaid cap in arotating frame or clampingapparatus, with the contactingsurfaces of the bottle and cap brought into such close proximity thatthe rotary motion of the bottle and cap will cause their opposingsurfaces to be simultaneously ground away by the application of suitablegrinding material, such as flour of emery, which is preferably moistenedwith some slightly-adhesive material, such as molasses or glycerin. Thegrinding material may conveniently be put within the mouth or neck ofthe bottle, so that it will automatically feed itself to the surfacesbeing ground. In order to grind the surfaces in a true plane centricwith the seat 0 and prevent the formation of concentric ridges orgrooves, I place the axis of the-cap out of alinement with or slightlyconcentric to the axis of rotation of the bottle, so as to secure aslight traversing motion of the ground surfaces upon each other.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A denotes the post or frameworkupon which the rotating parts of the apparatus are mount-- ed. B is arotating spindle arranged to be driven by a belt-pulley B and a beltconnection with a counter-shaft and carrying upon its upper end a disk0, upon which is mounted a cradle 0, having a depression 0 forming aseat for the glass cap D. The cradle O is provided on its under sidewith a spur O ,con-

The cradle C is supported upon the spur G which rests in a depression 0formed in the upper surface of the disk 0. Depending arms 0 on thecradle 0 enter slots 0 in the disk 0, causing the rotation of the diskto be imparted to the cradle, which is capable of a slight rockingmotion upon the projection 0 The seat C is provided with radial ribs Cadapted to enter radial grooves D in the cap D and cause the rotation ofthe disk and cradle to be imparted to the cap. Rotating in bearingsattached to the frame A is a spindle E, driven bya belt-pulley E,preferably larger than the pulley B and having a spline connection withthe spindle E, permitting a sliding motion of the spindle E, while thepulley E is held from longitudinal movement between thejournalbearingsofthespindle. Attachedtothelower end of the spindle E arelugs F, to which are pivoted the clamping-levers G, adapted to embraceand hold the bottle H. The spindle E is screwthreaded at E and carries aweighted nut I, having a conical or beveled surface J, which enteringbetween the short arms G of the levers G separates them, causing thebottle to be securely clamped between the levers G. Flour of emery orother grinding material is placed within the neck K of the bottle, whichis then placed in an inverted position between the levers G and securelyclamped, the spindle Ebeing raised for that purpose by means of a cordL, attached to the upper end of the spindle by a swivel connection L andpassing over pulleys L When the bottle has been clamped between thelevers G and the cap D placed in position, the bottle is lowered untilthe surface M of the bottle which is to be ground is brought intocontact with the surface N of the cap, when rotary motion is imparted tothe bottle and cap, the bottle rotating about the axis of the spindle Eand the cap D rotating about the axis of the spindle B, but at differentrates of speed, and as the cap D is placed eccentrically to the axis ofthe spindle B a slight traversing motion will be given to the contactingsurfaces of the bottle and cap. Resting upon the cradle O is an annularwooden block 0, held concentric therewith by a central boss 0' on thecradle for the purpose of inclosing a space around the cap D and mouthof the bottle to prevent the grinding material from working off the edgeof the cradle.

The operation of my grinding apparatus is as follows: The spindle E israised by the cord L, which may be fastened to a bracket P on theframework A. The bottle is inserted between the levers G, which are thenclamped against the bottle by lowering the weighted nut I on thescrew-threaded section E of the spindle E. The cap D is placed in aninverted position in the seat 0 of the eradle G. A quantity of grindingmaterial is placed within the neck K of the bottle and the bottle islowered into slight contact with the cap D and a rotary motion isimparted to the spindles B and E at different rates of speed, the cord Lbeing held in the hand of the operator in order to counterbalance thatpart of the apparatus supported upon the revolving spindle E in order toprevent too great a pressure between the contacting surfaces of thebottle and cap. As the surfaces of the cap and bottle are broughttogether the rocking motion of the cradle O enables the cap toaccommodate itself to any irregularities upon the contacting surfacesand to maintain during the process of grinding a bearing-surface againstthe mouth of the bottle. In case the ground surface upon the mouth ofthe bottle should stand at a slight inclination to the axis of rotation,the cradle C will rock at each revolution and hold the contactingsurface of the cap against the opposing surface of the bottle. Themaximum amount of pressure required between the surfaces of the bottleand cap is secured by the weighted nut I, and this pressure is regulatedby the operator by means of the cord L.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a grinding apparatus, the combination of means for holding androtating a bottle about its axis, means for holding and rotating a captherefor and in contact with the mouth of the bottle, whereby theiropposing surfaces are simultaneously subjected to the operation ofgrinding and means for traversing the ground surfaces in a plane atright angles to their axis of rotation, substantially as described.

2. In a grinding apparatus, the combination of means for holding abottle in an inverted position, means for rotating the same about itsaxis, a seat for holding the cap in an inverted position, means forrotating the cap, means for traversing the contacting surfaces of thecap and bottle during the process of grinding, means for traversing saidcap in a plane at right angles to its axis of rotation and an abradingmaterial held within the neck of said bottle, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination of a frame, a rotating spindle journaled in saidframe, clampinglevers carried by said spindle by which a bottle is held,means for raising and lowering said spindle, a second rotating spindle,a seat carried by said second spindle adapted to receive and rotate acap held ins-aid seat eccentrically to its axis of rotation,substantially as described.

t. In a grinding apparatus, the combination of means for holding androtating a bottle, a holder for a cap capable of allowing the cap,torock as it rotates and means for rotating said holder, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with means for holding and rotating a bottle, of aspindle, a disk supported on the end of said spindle and a seat for acap held on said disk and capable of a rocking motion thereon,substantially as described.

Dated this 14=th day of March, 1901.

ELBRIDGE G. HOWE.

Vitnesses:

RUFUS B. FOWLER, FLORENCE 0. 000K.

